A Slippery Slide
Rob and I really wanted to travel 5 kilometres up from where we were staying to the forest of faces. A forest walk lined with sixty odd faces carved into trees to mark them as the spirits of the forest. Our path started out okay but quickly then the snowy roads worsened with nowhere to turn around. On we rolled through thick snowy thin forest roads until we found a place to turn around. What were we thinking?? Rob braved the steering wheel and no extra pressure on the brakes as our car slid ever so slightly sideways slowly down over a thick patch of black dangerous ice down the mountain back to safe ground. Neither of us took a breath until we found somewhere to pull over and I gave Rob a hug. No “FaceTime ” for us today!
On our third day here in Bingen, Rob found another route around instead of up through the mountain. He found a tiny rural town that lead to a small area filled with little holiday cabins. From here we followed a hiking trail with snow under toe! We hiked through a snowy foliage trail filled with glazed over frozen ponds and swamp like mud that oozed through the fresh snow and over our shoes. We had to carefully consider our path as frozen slippery black ice was there for us to slide on. It was like we were in the making of a National Geographic film as we were in the presence of forest trying its hardest to thaw from the dead of winter.
Finally we were in the land of elves amongst babbling rocky half frozen in time streams, timber bridges that transported you back and forth over the crystal clear water. It was like a ‘Where’s Spot’ book. We searched the forest trees along this magical walk to find the carved faces in the trees. Such a clever idea to get people outside and to appreciate the natural wilderness.
Finally we found FaceTime!!! It was well worth it.
Day 3
A Trip Across the Rhine to Rudesheim am Rhein
After our morning in the elven snowy forest of carved faces we caught a car barge back in Bingen to a popular tourist restaurant and wine town called Rudesheim am Rhein.
Here I purchased a box of dark cherry liquor chocolates. They had a real alcoholic burn when you knocked one back. I had to laugh as I clearly remember having these as a child not sure if mum realised how strong they are!!! This may explain why I was such a happy child!!!!
We walked the popular restaurant street called Drossegasse. This 114 meter thin cobbled restaurant alley would be alive and pumping in the warmer months.
Zurseilbahn – Cable Car
Our ultimate favourite thing was catching the cable car which transported us across vineyards. Spring fever had finally hit as this was the first cable car we had seen opened.
It was a beautiful sunny afternoon around 8 degrees!!!!!! Yippee!!!!!! It was such a tranquil moment with the panoramic view of the Rhine river, vineyards, castles and ruins all below us.
The cable car takes you to the top of the mountain where you gasp at the amazing views looking down the Rhine and over at Bingen.
The Germanic Moment which stands high overlooking the panoramic view is very impressive! It was such a perfect afternoon. We were soaking up the warm sun’s rays.
On our way back to the barge we found the oldest house in Rudesheim. It dates back to the 16th century. It is called Klunkhardshof, and it is now a stunning restored timber house.
